Tag Archives: AT-802

Air Tractor Exercises

When I posted the Conair Q400 ops a while back, I focused on the larger tankers. However, there is a role for the small tankers too and the Air Tractor is one such plane. These can be used as spotters for the larger tankers, but they can also drop loads onto a fire if needed as well. A couple of them planes were up doing pattern work, presumably getting some currency in for the crews. Since they are a smaller plane, they were happy using the cross runway which meant they came directly over where I was. Cool little things to watch.

Crop Duster Conflicting Arrival

The traffic at Eloy was mainly light aircraft on training flights or jump ships for the sky diving operation.  As one of the Twin Otters was lining up to depart, we saw a crop-dusting aircraft approaching the field.  He seemed intent on landing from the opposite direction to that which the Twotter was going to use.  We wondered how this would play out but they clearly had done this before.  The jump ship got swiftly airborne and then turned left and directly towards us.  This gave it separation from the inbound plane which then landed quite happily on the now vacated runway.  It also meant we got some different angles on the departing plane which was welcome.